Abstract
This presentation will discuss a recently submitted PhD study that employs an online ethnographic research approach to explore the experiences of parents seeking, receiving and giving breastfeeding support online, and the nature of that support.
This study had the following objectives: 1) To identify the types of social support engaged in closed Facebook groups attached to the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA); 2) To advance understanding of the experiences of parents using closed Facebook groups attached to the ABA and how these parents find and share breastfeeding support and information; 3) To investigate the specific breastfeeding topics that parents are researching via social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, and how breastfeeding peer supporters respond with informational and emotional support to queries about breastfeeding concerns on a SNS. The quantitative data collection for this netnography was undertaken by the researcher following the activities of 15 individual ABA-sanctioned closed Facebook groups.
The findings presented explore the characteristics and contents of the queries and responses, illustrating how Facebook can be used to provide social support in addition to learning and coping strategies in these online communities. The aim of the workshop will be to enable participants to gain practical skills and understanding of how they can engage social media such as Facebook to create online communities that support breastfeeding parents and caregivers. In terms of breastfeeding support, social media is a relatively new method of providing that support. It is hoped that by adopting social media as a mainstream method of breastfeeding support, we can assist the new generation of mothers by meeting them where they are at, thus helping us to “look forward” and “fly into the future”!
This study had the following objectives: 1) To identify the types of social support engaged in closed Facebook groups attached to the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA); 2) To advance understanding of the experiences of parents using closed Facebook groups attached to the ABA and how these parents find and share breastfeeding support and information; 3) To investigate the specific breastfeeding topics that parents are researching via social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, and how breastfeeding peer supporters respond with informational and emotional support to queries about breastfeeding concerns on a SNS. The quantitative data collection for this netnography was undertaken by the researcher following the activities of 15 individual ABA-sanctioned closed Facebook groups.
The findings presented explore the characteristics and contents of the queries and responses, illustrating how Facebook can be used to provide social support in addition to learning and coping strategies in these online communities. The aim of the workshop will be to enable participants to gain practical skills and understanding of how they can engage social media such as Facebook to create online communities that support breastfeeding parents and caregivers. In terms of breastfeeding support, social media is a relatively new method of providing that support. It is hoped that by adopting social media as a mainstream method of breastfeeding support, we can assist the new generation of mothers by meeting them where they are at, thus helping us to “look forward” and “fly into the future”!
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Type | Poster presentation |
| Publication status | Published - 19 Mar 2019 |
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